The research focuses on the role of the principal in the implementation of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in Tshwane North District 3. The district is characterised by urban areas, townships and informal settlements. Educators in schools in these areas are well qualified; however, schools in the informal settlement lack resources and facilities. Thus, the curriculum implementation problems experienced by principals and educators in the informal settlements differ from those of principals and educators in urban schools. The amendment of the Curriculum 2005 through the RNCS introduced innovations in schools and changed the principal's role in its implementation. A literature review provided a conceptual framework and covered requirements for successful curriculum implementation, the principal's role therein and relevant training for principals. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted and data gathered by interviews with principals, officials from the Department of Education and educators. Finally, a synopsis of the findings and recommendations for further research are provided. / EDUCATIONAL STUDIES / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

This study investigates the actions, roles and beliefs of curriculum leaders and managers as they work to secure improvements in curriculum delivery and in managing curriculum change, using the context of an academically successful rural secondary school as a case study. This study acknowledges that curriculum reforms are far from over in South African education scape and that these reforms are unlikely to neglect the school as a curriculum management site. The rationales of this study are threefold. First, in view of the challenges facing curriculum managers at school level, as well as the questionability of the school managements’ capacity to mediate the curriculum, there is a need for empirical investigation as to how successful rural schools manage the curriculum effectively. Secondly, to gain a greater understanding how school leaders might influence curriculum delivery through effective instructional leadership. Thirdly, given that South African principals have little experience of instructional leadership and managing, teaching and learning is one of the core modules in the new qualification for school principals, this study aims to contribute case study evidence in this field. This study was conducted within two research paradigms. Firstly, this study assumes that in a school setting there are key participants who are informative about the research foci. These participants have something important to say about curriculum management processes, curriculum change and instructional leadership. This assumption is located within phenomenology. Secondly, symbolic interaction is another conceptual paradigm in that curriculum management is studied as a complex process requiring interaction among role players. Findings indicated that the principal impacts positively on teaching and learning if he focuses on instructional leadership. Secondly, the effective use of regular meetings is essential in order to clarify the vision and build an organization and culture where teaching and learning flourish. Thirdly, curriculum managers are directly involved in curriculum management, albeit at different angles. Fourthly, the capacity of the School Management Team (SMT) needs to be strengthened through use of innovative practices and lastly, the principal needs to be a proactive leader who observes and takes ownership of curriculum changes. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

Pedagogiskt ledarskap är ett mångfaldigt begrepp där många olika definitioner förekommer och tillämpas. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur personer som arbetar inom skolmiljöer uppfattar begreppet i förhållande till nationella riktlinjer. De nationella riktlinjerna räknas i studien som Skolinspektionens definition av pedagogiskt ledarskap. Frågeställningen som används avser att synliggöra hur begreppet uppfattas av ledare och pedagoger inom förskolan och skolans värld i förhållande till de nationella riktlinjer som finns kring begreppet. Studien har genomförts med en kvalitativ metod där semistrukturerade intervjuer med 15 pedagoger och ledare genomfördes och där sedan en tematisk analys tillämpades för att förstå datamaterialet. Resultatet visar två olika definitioner av begreppet, en definition utifrån ledare med fyra teman och en annan utifrån pedagoger med fyra teman. I dessa definitioner kunde två avvikande teman hittas, pedagogerna sökte en vägledande ledare och ledarna ansåg att balansen i relationen mellan pedagog och ledare var betydelsefull för ett pedagogiskt ledarskap. Analysen är uppdelad mellan ledares och pedagogers uppfattning av pedagogiskt ledarskap, detta för att undersöka skillnader i uppfattningarna beroende på vilken roll i skolverksamheten de innefattade. De två olika definitionerna jämförs i diskussionen med den definition som Skolinspektionen använder sig av vid kvalitetsgranskningar och tillsyner för skolverksamheter i Sverige.

The principal and teachers of a small independent South African school noticed a significant gap in the implementation of an effective Intermediate Phase (IP) reading curriculum. The principal decided to establish a Community of Inquiry (CoI) at the school to focus on this problem, and to research the process. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the affordances and constraints of the establishment of a CoI for the professional development of teachers as an instructional leadership intervention by the principal. The sub-questions that emerged from the main research question were: what would be the affordances and constraints of the principal establishing, facilitating and researching the CoI; what would be to the benefit of the teachers (and their learners) of establishing such a community for professional development and reading instruction in the IP; and, what processes are entailed in establishing an in-school CoI? To what degree, if any, would the CoI be a generating space to answer the research questions and aims? The literature review for the study explored the means of professional development available to educators and principals, especially Professional Learning Communities and their more focused interventions – Communities of Inquiry, and that professional development needs to target four levels – the teacher, their teaching, the community and collegiality at the school, and the principal as a developmental leader, in order for there to be an improvement in students’ learning. The concerning South African context with regard to reading in the IP was outlined, as well as that in the school. The South African curriculum IP learning outcomes and assessment standards for reading were critically explored against the backdrop of international curricula. The process of learning to read was traced. Hindrances to effective reading were also explored. The qualitative research design was an applied case study. Grounded Theory methods were used to reduce the data from the transcripts of CoI sessions. The findings of the research were that there are many affordances to establishing an in-school CoI, and that these benefits far outweigh the constraints. The CoI provided a germinating locus in which participants could begin to address the problems related to reading and reading instruction in the IP. It enabled the principal to develop as an instructional leader, and the teachers to develop as professionals and reading instructors. In hindsight, this project was a vital one, but considerably ambitious, difficult to implement, and perhaps even constrained in the sense of the principal establishing, facilitating and researching this process herself. However, without the principal driving, facilitating and researching the CoI, the question emerges whether such an intervention would have been established. Sometimes external insistences from authority can provide valuable impetus for change at schools, as long as these are sensitively handled and one has the support and trust of participants. The actual acceleration in learning that the participants experienced was extensive, and, sometimes it is only the principal that can play this role – especially in newly established communities. Much more research and support for principals in becoming instructional leaders and in establishing CoIs at their schools is required in the South African context.

This research is underpinned by a conceptual framework which is based upon the theory that the principal should share leadership responsibilities with educators to inspire commitment in creating a quality learning environment. The research investigates the role of the principal in creating a quality learning environment to improve school performance and the achievement of its learners. The research considered complexities surrounding educational reforms which require a collaborative approach wherein the principal invites educators to participate in a discussion on how instructional activities should be conducted in a school. When principals who are instructional leaders accept their instructional role and exercise it in collaboration with educators, they practice an integrated form of leadership. This report is relevant in the South African context because the situation in South Africa is made critical by the introduction of a new curriculum framework which requires an approach which will emphasise the principal’s interactive role with educators in the central area of curriculum, instruction and assessment. Shared instructional leadership is an inclusive concept, compatible with competent and empowered educators. Educators assume leadership responsibility when they interact with other adults in the school community around school reform efforts, encourage others to improve their professional practice, or learn together with their school colleagues (Moller & Katzenmeyer, 1996). iii A qualitative methodology was used which involved a secondary school in Gauteng.This case study was undertaken to establish the principal’s and educators’ perception of the role of the principal as an instructional leader. Although limited in its scope, the research revealed valuable information which identified contextual factors such as socio-economic, organizational climate and educator commitment which concluded that these are factors which play a significant role in creating a quality learning environment. What is needed in South Africa for a quality education to take place is an inclusive approach to leadership to promote a school climate supportive of teaching and learning. Instructional leadershipis shared, therefore, in that specific leadership functions are carried out by designated staff members working in collaboration, under the guidance and direction of the principal.

This exploratory synthesis of research was the product of three years of dissertation research efforts that systematically reviewed 23 years of empirical articles between 1983 (or its inception) and 2006 from three of the most highly regarded educational administration journals. Specifically designed to collect investigative data and information from primary research contained within Educational Administration Quarterly, the Journal of School Leadership, and the Journal of Educational Administration; this research synthesis drew upon various research methods to propose pragmatic insights and proffer an empirically founded response to: What has the educational administration profession learned from the research efforts that were independently conducted, presented, and published about the overall connections between school superintendents and education's technical core -teaching and learning in schools? Results from employing meta-analysis, descriptive synthesis, and thematic synthesis techniques to appropriately collect and analyze relevant data indicate that school superintendents remain directly connected to the technical core; however, these connections have evolved from the traditional connections presently maintained by campus administrators and to new connections that meet the increased responsibilities and complexities of the superintendents' role. The thematic synthesis, reinforced by descriptive syntheses, indicated 15 separate superintendent - technical core constructs that promote new areas for investigation; however, the extent and strength of these constructs have yet to be determined. The impact from the next step suggestions for future research indicate that effects could range from educational administration knowledge base contributions to refining in-practice standards and professional development programs. The possible knowledge base contributions, coupled with specific in-practice elements that demonstrate superintendents' direct impact on the technical core, may be the necessary raw materials from which a foundational framework that clearly redefines the superintendent - technical core connections may be forged by scholars and implemented by district leaders to improve teaching and learning in schools.

本研究主要目的在探討公立高中校長教學領導、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能之關係和影響情形及不同背景變項之校長教學領導、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能的差異性分析，進而建構及驗證其互動模式，並提出研究結論與建議。 本研究採訪談及問卷調查二種方法，針對校長教學領導、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能等三個變項進行探究。本研究首先由文獻探討分析中，建立研究架構及理論基礎，在問卷調查方面，則先以177位公立高中教師為預試樣本，將取得的樣本資料進行信度與因素分析，以發展為正式問卷。正式問卷施測後，以回收有效樣本832位公立高中教師之問卷為研究資料，分別以描述性統計、t考驗、變異性分析、相關分析、多元逐步迴歸分析及線性結構方程模式等統計方法，進行資料分析。在訪談方面，根據本研究意旨與目的研擬訪談大綱，訪談13位現職公立高中校長，藉以瞭解校長與教師間對「校長教學領導」知覺的差異性及其原因。 本研究之主要研究結果如下： 一、現行公立高中校長教學領導、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能之整體表現 良好。 二、不同背景變項之高中校長教學領導、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能有顯著差異。 三、不同程度之校長教學領導對教師組織承諾的影響有顯著差異。 四、不同程度之校長教學領導對教師教學效能的影響有顯著差異。 五、不同程度之教師組織承諾對教師教學效能的影響有顯著差異。 六、校長教學領導與教師組織承諾呈顯著高度正相關。 七、校長教學領導與教師教學效能呈顯著中度正相關。 八、教師組織承諾與教師教學效能呈顯著中度正相關。 九、校長教學領導與教師組織承諾能有效解釋教師教學效能。 十、校長教學領導會影響教師教學效能；校長教學領導應特別重視提升教師專業。 根據以上研究結果，本研究提出以下建議： 一、對教育行政主管機關之建議 （一）培養校長教學領導專業知能 （二）建立教師專業成長機制與評鑑辦法 （三）強化校長教學領導共識 二、對公立高中校長之建議 （一）積極扮演教學領導者的角色 （二）培養良好的溝通能力 （三）重視教師努力意願、提升教師組織承諾知覺 三、對公立高中教師之建議 （一）建立教師專業知能、協商制定教師評鑑 （二）協助校長教學領導、提升教師教學效能 四、對未來研究之建議 （一）研究對象方面：擴大研究對象範圍，多元觀點研究分析。 （二）研究方法方面：多方整合專家意見，實地觀察受訪學校。 （三）研究內容方面：探討其他研究變項，建構新的架構模式。 （四）研究工具方面：發展其他研究量表，適用不同類型學校。 關鍵詞：教學領導、組織承諾、教學效能 / The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship among principals’ instructional leadership, teachers’ organization and teaching effectiveness in public senior high schools and the different effects from the different background factors. An interactive model was constructed and confirmed, and some research conclusions and suggestions were offered. This study adopted two research methods : visiting survey and questionnaire survey, aiming the relations among principals’ instructional leadership, teachers’ organizational commitment, and teachers’ teaching effectiveness. First, the research frame and theory were established based on the literature analysis. As for the questionnaire survey, 177 senior high school teachers in public schools were chosen as pre-test samples on which the reliability and validity analysis were based and the formal questionnaires were developed. The 832 public senior high teachers’ questionnaires were used as research data and some statistical techniques such as t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, multiple stepwise regression analysis, and SEM were employed. As for the visiting survey, 13 public senior high school principals were interviewed to understand the differences between the principals and teachers about the awareness of “principals’ instructional leadership”. The major findings from this study are as follows: 1.The overall performances of principals’ instructional leadership, teachers’ organizational commitment, and teachers’ teaching effectiveness are good. 2.The effects of different background variables on principals’ instructional leadership, teachers’ organizational commitment, and teachers’ teaching effectiveness are statistically significant. 3.The effects of principals’ instructional leadership on teachers’ organizational commitment are significantly different. 4.The effects of principals’ instructional leadership on teachers’ teaching effectiveness are significantly different. 5.The effects of teachers’ organizational commitment on teachers’ teaching are significantly different. 6.The principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ organization are high positive correlation. 7.The principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ teaching effectiveness are medium positive correlation. 8.Teachers’ organizational commitment and teachers’ teaching effectiveness are medium positive correlation. 9.Principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ organizational commitment can explain effectively teachers’ teaching effectiveness. 10.Principals’ instructional leadership has effects on teachers’ teaching effectiveness; principals’ instructional leadership should put more emphasis on the teachers’ profession The suggestions made by this study are as follows: A.The suggestions to the educational administrative institutes: 1.Develop principals’ professional knowledge. 2.Establish mechanism for teachers’ professional development and assessment. 3.Strengthen the commitment of principals’ instructional leadership. B.The suggestions to the public senior school principals: 1.Play a more active role as instructional leaders. 2.Develop sound communication skills. 3.Value teachers’ devotion to teaching and raise the awareness of teachers’ organizational commitment. C.The suggestions to public senior high school teachers: 1.Develop teachers’ professional knowledge and establish teachers’ evaluation. 2.Help principals’ instructional leadership, and promote teachers’ teaching effectiveness. D.The suggestions to the research in the future: 1.The research subjects: expand the research subjects, analysis based on multiple points of view. 2.The research methods: Integrate experts’ suggestions and visit the interviewed schools. 3.The research contents: Explore other variables, and establish new research frames. 4.The research tools: Develop other research measurement and apply to different types of schools. keywords： Instructional Leadership ； Organization commitment Teaching Effectiveness

本研究旨在瞭解桃園市國民中學校長教學領導與教師學術樂觀之現況，分析在個人背景變項、學校環境變項下之教師知覺校長教學領導與教師學術樂觀之差異情形，探討校長教學領導與教師學術樂觀的關聯性及彼此間的預測力。 本研究採用問卷調查法，以桃園市29所公立國民中學之主任、組長、導師及專任教師為研究對象。共寄發問卷581份，回收562份，有效問卷512份。調查結果以描述性統計、t考驗、單因子變異數分析、Pearson積差相關及逐步多元迴歸等統計分法，進行資料分析與討論。經結果分析得到以下結論: 一、 桃園市國民中學教師知覺校長教學領導與教師學術樂觀為中高程度。 二、 個人背景變項中，男性教師在校長教學領導的知覺程度高於女性教師。 三、 學校環境變項中，職務性質及學校規模在知覺校長教學領導及教師學術樂 觀有顯著差異。 四、 兼任行政職務之教師在校長教學領導、教師學術樂觀的知覺程度皆高於其 他教師。 五、 學校規模在「24班（含）以下」之教師，在知覺校長教學領導及教師學術 樂觀上，皆高於「49班（含）以上」之教師。 六、 國民中學校長教學領導與教師學術樂觀有顯著正相關。 七、 校長教學領導之「完善學習環境」與「凝聚教學目標」對教師學術樂觀有 較高之預測力。 依據上述研究結論，提出相關建議，以做為教育行政機關、國民中學行政機 關及後續研究者之參考。 / This study aims at exploring the correlation and prediction level of principal’s instructional leadership and teachers’ academic optimism, in terms of different variables such as teacher’s personal background and school environment. To assess the relevance, I surveyed full-time teachers, part-time teachers, section directors and school deans in 29 public and private junior high schools in Taoyuan. Of all the 581 questionnaires applied, 512 are valid. These questionnaires are analyzed and presented by using descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s product-moment correlation and multiple stepwise regression. The results of this survey are listed as follows: 1. The relevance between teachers’ perceptions of principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ academic optimism is high-intermediate. 2. In the personal background variables, male teachers are more perceptive to principals’ instructional leadership than female teachers. 3. In school environment variables, the perception of principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ academic optimism vary significantly, in terms of educational positions and the size of school. 4. Teachers in administrative positions have a better perception of principal’s instructional leadership and academic optimism. 5. Teachers in a small-sized school (equal to or less than 24 classes) are more perceptive to principals’ instructional leadership and have more academic optimism than those in a larger-sized school (equal to or more than 49 classes.) 6. There is a positive correlation between junior high school principals’ instructional leadership and teachers’ academic optimism. 7. Two factors in principal’s instructional leadership—a positive study environment and cohesive teaching objectives—are the two best predictors of teachers’ academic optimism. Relevant suggestions are provided based on the study, and serve as references for educational administrations, junior high school administrators and subsequent research.

This qualitative study examines how principals support the implementation of the Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning (Katz, 2012a), a framework for inclusive school reform. The ways that principals can support inclusive practice may include the way they use systems and structures that fall under their control (Katz, 2012a). Instructional leadership also plays a crucial part in implementing inclusive school reform (Leithwood & Riehl, 2005). Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five Manitoba principals involved in implementation of the Three-Block Model of UDL. Principals were asked about leadership and how they manage systems and structures under their control. Recommendations for practice are made, including the need for the school to be organized to support inclusive practice, for principals to make developing people a key task, and for principals to be highly involved in classroom instruction within the school.

This study explores educational leadership within and across two of NZ’s eLearning clusters. Two complementary perspectives of educational leadership are used to frame the investigation: instructional leadership and distributed leadership. The research was conducted approximately nine months after the cessation of a two-year Ministry subsidy for the employment of 12 ePrincipals and at a time when Ultrafast Broadband was imminent for nearly all NZ schools. The literature review explores aspects of two areas related to eLearning leadership: conventional educational leadership in ‘bricks-and-mortar’ schooling contexts and eLearning/eTeaching in virtual schooling contexts. Data was gathered from semistructured interviews with twelve school-based research participants (ePrincipals, eTeachers, Site Supervisors and Principals) across two of NZ’s eLearning clusters and four National Officials with responsibilities for wider forms of eLearning. The findings are presented in a manner that attempts to capture directly the research participants’ voices, while still maintaining confidentiality and anonymity. The findings are discussed using an ecological perspective of eLearning as the unifying framework to explore the leadership across nested and interacting layers, from the micro-level of an eLearning class to the macro-level of NZ’s system for secondary education. The major findings from the study indicate that educational leadership in eLearning clusters is complex, relies heavily on goodwill and collaboration, and occurs in a challenging environment. Within an eLearning cluster the leadership of eLearning/eTeaching is distributed primarily across the ePrincipal, eTeachers and Site Supervisors who each assume complementary leadership roles. A raft of recommendations, across all ecosystem levels of eLearning, is proposed for leaders to consider when initiating change to strengthen their practices and policies with respect to enhancing eLearning and eTeaching.